Drug Enforcement Administration agents allegedly had "sex
parties" with prostitutes hired by drug cartels, according to
an
inspector general report released Thursday by the Justice
Department.

"The foreign officer allegedly arranged 'sex parties' with
prostitutes funded by the local drug cartels for these DEA agents
at their government-leased quarters, over a period of several
years," the report said.

According to
Politico, the alleged "sex parties" took place in Colombia
between 2005 and 2008. The report didn't appear to name the
agents involved, but seven of them admitted to attending the
parties and were punished with short suspensions.

The report accused the agents of creating "security risks" by
allowing the prostitute parties to occur around sensitive
government equipment. (According to complaints, the parties were
"loud.")

"In particular, the Inspector said that she explained to [Office
of Professional Responsibility] management that the fact that
most of the 'sex parties' occurred in government-leased quarters
where agents' laptops, BlackBerry devices, and other
government-issued equipment were present created potential
security risks for the DEA and for the agents who participated in
the parties, potentially exposing them to extortion, blackmail,
or coercion," the report said.

The agents involved "should have known" the parties were funded
by the drug cartels, the report said.

"Although some of the DEA agents participating in these parties
denied it, the information in the case file suggested they should
have known the prostitutes in attendance were paid with cartel
funds. A foreign officer also alleged providing protection for
the DEA agents' weapons and property during the parties," it
said. "The foreign officers further alleged that in addition to
soliciting prostitutes, three DEA SSAs [special agents] in
particular were provided money, expensive gifts, and weapons from
drug cartel members."

Other troubling allegations were also detailed in the inspector
general report. In another case involving prostitutes, DEA agents
frequently attended a brothel, and a prostitute was allegedly
assaulted after a payment disagreement.

"We found that a Regional Director, an Acting Assistant Regional
Director (AARD), and a Group Supervisor failed to report ...
repeated allegations of DEA Special Agents (SA) patronizing
prostitutes and frequenting a brothel while in an overseas
posting, treating these allegations as local management issues,"
the report said. "It was also alleged that one of the subjects in
the supervisors’ group assaulted a prostitute following a payment
dispute."

General view of
illuminated Christmas decorations at Monserrate church in
Bogota.REUTERS/John
Vizcaino

The allegations were part of a broader investigation into how the
Justice Department's law-enforcement agencies handle
allegations of sexual harassment and
misconduct. The report found issues with other agencies besides
the DEA, including the FBI and US Marshals Service.

One FBI manager was faulted for failing to report one of his
employee's repeated unprofessional behavior, including cornering
his subordinates in their cubicles and displaying the size of his
genitals by tightening his pants, making graphic and
inappropriate sexual comments and gestures, and otherwise
creating a hostile work environment."

In another case, a supervisor reported allegations that a deputy
US Marshall "had an inappropriate relationship with the common
law spouse of a fugitive." Three supervisors instructed the US
marshal to "terminate the relationship" but he nevertheless
pursued it for about a year and the relationship was not reported
to the Office of Professional Responsibility.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also had
issues of sexual misconduct.

"In November 2009, an ATF Director of Industry Operations (DIO)
who holds a Top Secret security clearance was on temporary
assignment," the report recalled. "According to the ...
investigation, the DIO solicited consensual sex with anonymous
partners and modified a hotel room door to facilitate sexual
play. In addition, the DIO removed smoke detectors from the hotel
room and inadvertently caused damage to the hotel’s centralized
fire detection system."

The inspector general said the investigation was incomplete,
however, because the DEA and the FBI were not fully cooperative.